On the Disposal of Plutonium

by Kyu C. Kim

The ideas presented in this editorial are the author's and do not
necessarily represent the opinion of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the
University of California, the Department of Energy, or the U.S.
Government.

Looking forward to the dawn of a new century and the second
millenium, the Actinide Research Quarterly (ARQ) requested and was
granted an audience with Dr. Actinide to talk on the subject of
plutonium, the "element of this century."

ARQ: For over 50 years the nuclear nations of this world were
engaged in the race to produce plutonium for their nuclear weapons
stockpile, which, we are told, helped maintain world peace based on the
insane dogma of mutually assured destruction (MAD). With the end of the
Cold War we are now rushing toward finding ways of disposing of what's
called "excess plutonium" from retired nuclear weapons. What are your
thoughts on this element that you are all too familiar with in the
universal element chart (our discovery number 94)?

Dr. Actinide: A quite natural sequence of events although on
occasions I was quite concerned about the madness that prevailed among
some of you living through the dawn of your nuclear age.

ARQ: In addition to this urgent desire to dispose of plutonium,
the following concerns seem to be of paramount importance: preventing
theft and proliferation of nuclear weapons, protecting the public and
environment from contamination, and if economically feasible, using
plutonium as a viable energy source to fuel further progress.

Dr. Actinide: Admirable concerns for the human species and the
world's citizens, indeed.

ARQ: But the problem of disposing of plutonium is compounded
because plutonium now appears mixed in many different things. Besides,
plutonium present in our environment now presents a contamination hazard.

Dr. Actinide: The dispersion of plutonium is as natural as can
be. Contamination is in the eyes and minds of humans. Undo the mixing
if that's what you wish to do. However, I would expect that you should
not spread plutonium any more than you've done already by such silly
activities as exploding it in the atmosphere or dumping it in your ocean.

ARQ: The most commonly suggested solutions to plutonium disposal
fall in one of the following categories: burying it, glass-logging it,
burning it, mixing it, and storing it.

Dr. Actinide: Such a cacophony of nonsense. You introduced it
into the world; now that you have it, learn to live with it.

ARQ: One of the important concerns we have associated with any of
these disposal scenarios is waste generation. More so than with any
other human activity, the handling of radioactive materials inevitably
increases waste.

Dr. Actinide: Remember all elements are radioactive on the
Creator's time scale, some more so than others. It is nature's law that
the total energy of the universe is conserved. Energy can neither be
created nor destroyed. An element such as plutonium, a form of this
energy, cannot be destroyed at will. Some of you may argue that an
element undesirable to human species can be transformed to a more
desirable form. But remember also that you do not control the outcome of
such transformation of the elemental stuff.

ARQ: Yes, we know that we live in an environment of natural
radioactivity and, therefore, it is unnatural to think of a
"radiation-free" environment. For example, the world oceans contain,
although diluted, the largest amount of uranium, another element of your
superb expertise. We never hear anyone suggesting that we should clean
up the ocean of its radioactivity. There's also cosmic radiation and
radiation in the buildings we work in and live in, the food we eat, the
air we breathe.

Dr. Actinide: That's right. You are a product of the earth, this
wonderful place we live in. Plutonium also is here to stay with you and
your children. The prudent thing for you to do is to manage and
safeguard it properly so that you can draw from it more benefit than
harm.

ARQ: Dr. Actinide, you'll grant that's easier said than done....

Dr. Actinide: Almost everything is. Among all things created,
ironically for humankind, plutonium may turn out to be one of those
elemental magnets that makes human beings all come together and cooperate
to find a lasting solution to this uniquely human problem. That's the
challenge.